What Fiction Trends Say About Us

The book market is shifting again as it has quite often in the last five years. Let’s face it. It’s desperately trying to keep up with our fast-paced world. How we discover books, how we purchase them, and how we read them have changed completely. All of that change is difficult for an industry that’s been around a couple hundred years, and it’s arguably even more difficult for those of us who create books in the first place. But the market is bound to evolve, especially in a digital, global world that must meet the needs of different kinds of readers. The market changes, sure, but is the craft of writing evolving too? I asked some established authors to see what they had to say. This is what I asked:

How has the craft of fiction changed in the last decade? Specifically, what have you noticed about books in terms of structure, characters, topics, trends, etc?

They said:

“I think in genre fiction, the readers are pushing for shorter chapters, quicker reads, and less depth. The publishers are following their lead. Literary fiction still allows the full beauty of the language to be explored, but genre authors have a unique challenge. Many of us try to inject a literary tone while still producing a page-turning quick read. That’s the sweet spot we are all shooting for, but with shorter attention spans, it is becoming a greater challenge.”—Julie Cantrell Perkins, NYT Bestselling author of The Feathered Bone

“I think the lines between genre and literary fiction are blurring. I think genre lit is becoming more character driven and nuanced. Literary fiction is becoming a little less self indulgent… stuff needs to actually happen in the book. In all cases I think the reader is beginning to expect more in terms of balance between engaging story and well-crafted prose.” —Aimie Runyan, author of The Daughters of France series

“Many published novels are shorter than earlier works, often less than 100,000 words and/or 300 pages and also much more first-person and multiple viewpoints rather than third-person following one pov.”—Sally Koslow, author of The Widow Waltz

“In women’s fiction, we’ve gone from which designer shoes to wear to much darker, beefier themes. I see this as women claiming literary equality: there’s no problem a male character can tackle in a novel that a female can’t–and the female may learn more from it.”—Kathryn Craft, author of The Far End of Happy

It’s a lot of food for thought. To add to the mix from my own perspective, I’ve noticed fewer “warm” writers or those that extrapolate for pages and pages on world-building and character development, in exchange for many more “cool” or lean writers that drive right to the heart of the issue without delay. Because of this, there are far fewer “slow burn” novels that were so popular in the 80’s and 90’s. In fact, I’ve tried rereading a couple of favorites from that time, and I can’t even get through them.

I’ve also noticed snappier openings and an uptick in suspense as a sub-genre across all categories. It’s truly fascinating how much my perspective has changed—and all of our perspectives. I’m sure being an author with a critical eye is partially to blame, but it’s about much more. It’s about what’s happening out there in society.

So what IS happening out there in society? What’s driving these trends?

More competition in terms of entertainment. We went from books, games, and television to apps, social media, memes, and YouTube, as well as endless channels vying for our attention. (Never mind hobbies and life?) I wonder which of these will whittle down and fall away over time? Some argue it will be books. I don’t, and frankly, that thought makes me physically ill.

We have the attention span of a squirrel on crack. Life is faster than ever, therefore fiction must be faster, too. If the book doesn’t grab the reader’s attention immediately, they close the book and go to sleep, or jump on their smart phone and surf the web. I hear this time and again from parents I know. They’re tired at bedtime and won’t read any other time of day. You have to hook them HARD. Hook them in the cheek with a giant, pointy fish hook!

Story—and innovation—is king. To keep readers coming back to the blessed book, it’s imperative to stand out in all the noise. Maybe this is why writers are experimenting with stylistic changes. Readers are demanding something sensational that really grips them, and even changes their view of the world. Writers can’t sit back on their laurels. They must STRIKE OUT and be unique, as well as create a story that’s universal. (You know, because that’s so easy.)

The demand for literary equality is really here. Female readers want books that speak to their daily troubles, their anguish and self-doubts, their struggle to “hold it all” together. Those novels have arrived. Also, female writers want the opportunity to excel in publishing the way only educated white males have been able to do for so long. These new books women like? We want accolades for writing them, for moving readers, for driving to the heart of what matters in a beautiful, poignant way.

But acknowledgement of women-driven fiction is only part of that conversation. It’s also about a greater awareness of diversity in sexual orientation and ethnicity. Thankfully, that awareness has really evolved in the last few years and now, these cries for literary equality are driving major initiatives in the industry. We aren’t the book-reading public of the 1950s or the 1980s anymore. Readers want stories that truly reflect who they are as people. I think that conversation is front and center now, and change is truly afoot.

Fiction is fluid. The most important thing to remember about writing trends is that fiction—and any written language—is an ART FORM, a living entity of sorts. Fiction writing should never be static. Our writings reflect the culture of the day and they also project future trends. The way we communicate in daily life changes, and so should the way we communicate our stories.

Books may be shorter, punchier, in bite-sized segments, accompanied by video and gadgets, and all manner of gizmos and puffery—they may even look different—but they won’t go away. Stories help us make sense of our world and ourselves. Stories help us to peel away layers of defenses, to heal pain, to feel less alone in our struggles. Our souls thrive on stories. As writers, we must continue to innovate and tap into our readers’ needs. I, for one, plan to keep an open mind.

Heather grew up a military brat and naturally became obsessed with travel, culture, and languages. She taught high school for a decade before turning to full time writing and freelance editing.Heather's historical novels BECOMING JOSEPHINE & RODIN'S LOVER have been sold in six countries, were chosen as a Goodread's Pick of the Month, and have received starred national reviews. Her books have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, France Magazine, and more.Next up? Her WWI epistolary novel LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS releases from HarperCollins in Oct 2017.As a freelance editor, Heather has helped over two dozen writers sign with agents, and go on to sell at market. She may also be found teaching craft courses at a local college. When not writing, she feeds her cookbook addiction, geeks out on history and pop culture, and looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world.

Comments

I have mixed feelings about some of these trends. For instance, I don’t write first-person POV. And I don’t know if any of these trends will influence my writing much. I write what I write. By the time I could possibly be published, who knows what will be the trend. Well, shorter. Shorter and shorter attention spans.

You should definitely write what you write, Marta, or it won’t be inspired. I do the same! :) Oddly,though,some of these trends are part of a collective consciousness that none of us plan. I’ll be very interested to see what’s next!

Your observations and those of others jibe with what I’ve noticed too. Indeed, I wrote a whole book of fiction craft on this topic.*

There is a tension between readers’ twin wishes for fiction today: the desire for an in-depth, well-written, novelistic hardcover read and the counter-balancing desire for a speedy, eventful, plot-driven read.

Contrary to what some say, I have not noticed novels becoming, on the whole, shorter and tighter. James Patterson, yes, but even most thrillers are far longer than once they were.

Remember the slim paperbacks of yore, which sold for $.99, $1.99, $2.99? No more. Hardcovers today are thick. Consumers seem to want a lot of words for $25. I also suspect they secretly skim many of those words.

Topics in story types from thrillers to literary fiction, yes, have shifted to women protagonists, domestic arenas, and different kinds of angst. From domestic thrillers to dystopia, the pervasive underlying feeling seems to be that the world is malevolent, out of our control and that there is little to do but reconcile, heal and survive.

There are heroes and heroines, that’s true, but let’s look at them. When the girl on the train solves a murder, it is through an alcoholic fog. The girl with the dragon tattoo brings about justice it’s because she is a victim fired by rage. To be a hero or heroine today seems to mean being hurt.

The quality of heroism–at least the two-fisted, can-do, save-the-world type–today feels old-fashioned. And it is. Katniss Everdeen wins out, sure, after three books, but what fascinates us is her suffering.

Publishing may be catching up in diversity, but fiction itself reflects changing demographics. I’m sure it doesn’t feel that way to many, but the number of novels featuring protagonists who aren’t white and male is growing every year. Ditto those set in other cultures or which challenge our moral assumptions.

Yes, fiction reflects our times and culture. It’s supposed to. However, I believe fiction’s purpose is also to lead us. It is fine for us to see anew, gain new perspectives, understand others. But what do we do with that insight? Where do we go once we understand?

I have observations, but I also have a mission. Fiction is the most powerful when it not only challenges us to see anew, but when it stirs us to change. That, ask me, is as much the challenge today to novelists as reflecting our times.

It is kind of depressing — and part of the methodology of the autocrats.

Masha Gessen wrote a wonderful piece the other day for the NYT about the Soviet-era propaganda tool she calls #whataboutism, which is basically accusing your opponents of being guilty of the same sins you hope to obscure. Like a pathological liar decrying “fake news.”

The purpose of this approach is to create a zeitgeist of cynicism and despair. The whole world is corrupt, there’s nothing to be done about it, etc. This creates a despondent, passive populace.

I think novels need to speak to why we must act and what it means to do so, even if we fail to achieve our original goal — or maybe especially then. We need to preserve the sense that actions matter even when we are so often blind to our real motives or unaware of the likely consequences. That is the human dilemma. And story = Desire + Struggle + Consequences => Discover & Change

Thanks for the article, David. I’ll take a look at that link. It’s a fascinating–and all too real–concept, I fear.

“I think novels need to speak to why we must act and what it means to do so, even if we fail to achieve our original goal — or maybe especially then.” This, to me, perfectly sums up the political situation we’re facing in the U.S. today and precisely why it will always be vital for our stories to go to print. We lead others to act through our words.

Great observations, Don, and we’re on the same track for sure. I haven’t read this particular book of yours. It looks like I should! It’s interesting how dark and edgy characters have become so popular the last decade. They certainly embody our growing sense of malaise, but it’s more than that, I think. As you mentioned, the heroes of yore don’t satisfy us anymore because we want to see a character’s pain and how they hold themselves together long enough to achieve their goals. Perhaps these characters have become more popular because we’re a more honest society compared to those of the past. Rather than shoving down emotion, dodging truths, and hiding behind masks, we examine, confront, and try to move through them. We’ve learned, at least to some degree, that hiding and lying to ourselves doesn’t serve us. We are who we are, after all, for better or worse. Readers connect with this. Ultimately, I think we’ve come to understand that pain is a powerful motivator and it doesn’t always have to be negative. To me, this is about the evolution of psychology and psychological awareness not just individually, but in society as a whole.

Great discussion! I’m going to check out that book of yours. I have the Breakout Novel and workbook and recently picked up your latest, but haven’t read 21st Fiction. Interesting stuff!

I would definitely agree with the hook and the speed–I’m a die hard reader, but with so many story choices available, I want to be drawn in immediately. As a writer, this is sometimes a challenge for me.

While I would agree more and more women’s fiction is published now, it was never only about shoes. Chick lit was A Thing for awhile, but it was short-lived, and even when it was in full swing, it wasn’t about shoes at all–it was about young women in urban areas grappling with issues of employment, finding friends and partners, and how to build a life that has meaning. The press and the covers made it about shoes, but only a few romantic comedies really were about that at all. Women have been writing important stories about women’s lives for a really, really long time.

I came in earlier, read and shared, then forgot to make a comment! Talk about the attention span of a squirrel on crack. (I loved that analogy.)

It’s only been recently (I guess the past four years…maybe five) that I’ve written in first-person, and I started doing that mainly because everyone else was doing it. Well, because all The Powers That Be said that was what sells…what the public wants because it puts the reader in the skins of the characters. But I still let the story dictate the POV. Some stories can’t be forced into a POV it doesn’t like, no matter how hard I try.

Mike, it’s really interesting to me that the “powers that be” said first person sells. I suppose it depends on the genre, but it’s actually frowned upon in historical fiction for the most part. Nonetheless, two of my novels are in first person because that’s what worked for the story, and the other is in third. In other words, I agree with you–follow your gut on that one. You have to choose what serves the story best, trends be damned. We ARE the trend-setters. :)

I suppose so. Most of the excerpts he chooses I find to be pretty awful. I think we have to focus on doing more with less without stripping depth and compelling narrative. Ultimately, just because these are the trends doesn’t mean we have to or SHOULD follow them. We have to tell the story we need to or it won’t ring true to the readers. Thanks for your comments!

Most of these ring true to me, especially the idea of hooking the reader and reeling them in quickly. I’m an avid reader and find myself impatient quite often. It’s something I have to remind myself of in writing, too.

Women’s fiction has definitely exploded in the past decade, but it has always been around, and it was never about shoes. Chick lit wasn’t even about shoes–it was about women in their twenties trying to figure out what a meaningful life looked like, and trying things on. What kind of work would matter? What kind of partner would she want by her side? What kind of friends? What matters?

The genre was dismissed by a sexist press (which included, sadly, a lot of woman who looked down on books about young women), but it was valuable and important.

Women have been writing books that examine women’s lives and empower women for a very long time. It’s not a new thing at all.

Heather, I’m thinking it’s impossible for writers to know the trends, the wants of readers in a timely manner. Agents and publishers are more in the know, because they’re ahead of the curve; they see what’s coming down the pike. Writers write and then don’t see what’s published by everyone else for at least a year or two. When a writer’s manuscript doesn’t sell, it could be that, unbeknownst to the writer, trends have shifted. Only the “insiders” know the genre, the topic, the mood that’s will be “hot” a year or two from now. It’s a dog race and we’re all chasing an impossible-to-catch rabbit. But none of us wants to drop out of the race!

If the ‘insiders’ knew all that we wouldn’t have so many bad/failed books come out every year. No one knows. The only thing we can and should do as writers is write what we want to write and to read. Be the genre you want to see in the world.

There’s certainly some truth to this, Denise. We have to focus on our own stories and press on, regardless of what’s happening out there. That being said, I think there are ways to look at trends beyond just waiting for a year or two, however. The trends don’t just show up in fiction, but in television and film and art. The other thing is, perhaps because I’m a freelance editor myself, I work on a lot of manuscripts before they’re sold so I see what sorts of books keep popping up in my inbox. We can also follow them through the pitch contests and wish lists on Twitter. You start to see a lot of one kind of book pop up. It’s really interesting how much zeitgeist plays into our creative world.

Hey Heather. Your post has had me thinking all morning. I’m obviously quite interested in publishing and in the industry. I do try to watch for trends in my genre. But then again, I sometimes feel like it doesn’t make a bit of difference. Both Marta and Densie got me thinking about the old maxim that writers shouldn’t bother trying to chase trends because by the time they write to that market, the trend has changed.

Anyway, my train of thought went to how I’ve changed as a writer since I started. For starters, I’ve gone from someone in his early 40s to his mid (almost late) 50s. I am quite sure I’ve grown, that my grasp of my craft has improved. I’ve gone from being eager just to get words on the page to being more deliberate and methodical. And yet, when I go back to my earliest work, if I look past the verbosity and stylistic amateurism, the themes are remarkably constant.

I feel both like a literary adolescent, ready to set the world on fire, and a curmudgeon who’d just as soon hide away from the world and write. Depending on the day, I can see my work as either fond reminiscence or cutting-edge allegory, my style and themes as outmoded or rejuvenating. I want to ease readers back, and to jolt them forward.

I have evolved and yet stayed the same. I scorn technology even as I embrace the aspects of it that suit me. I’m an old-fashioned modernist. And I am both comfortable and unsatisfied with that. Regarding the future of publishing, I’m terrified and exhilarated, daunted by the challenges and eager to take them on.

Great comment as always, Vaughn. We certainly shouldn’t chase trends, I agree. That’s a no-win situation unless you can crank out a book in lightning speed and let’s face it, that book would suck. That being said, I think it’s really important to watch trends closely and with interest. They can inform your writing and also your topic decisions, how to publish, give us an understanding of where we’ll be placed in the market, etc.

As for your comment here:

“I have evolved and yet stayed the same. I scorn technology even as I embrace the aspects of it that suit me. I’m an old-fashioned modernist. And I am both comfortable and unsatisfied with that. Regarding the future of publishing, I’m terrified and exhilarated, daunted by the challenges and eager to take them on.”

I couldn’t have said that any better, Vaughn. I feel exactly the same way. Challenge is good for creativity, though, so I suppose we try our best to embrace! Write on, my friend. I’m reallllly looking forward to seeing your work out there.

As much as I love to read 19th-century novels, I have found myself succumbing to the ADD culture, constantly paging ahead to see how long the section I’m currently reading is.

For this same reason, I have begun chopping up paragraphs, shortening sections and chapters, focusing not just on my words but white space.

That said, I found it interesting that one writer quoted above said that genre readers want a lighter read, whereas another opined that in fact they want a more quality (“literary”) read.

Both may be true, of course. I think the best way to look at it gets addressed by your comments, Heather, concerning competing with other media for the reader’s interest and attention.

I tell my students this all the time: Remember that at any moment your reader could put your book down and pick up the remote.

But that also means delivering an experience only a novel can. This is why I think close third and first person are so popular. That intimacy is all but impossible to bring to film or TV. And this means novels provide a truly unique experience when they most dramatically and intriguingly explore not just what is happening but how the main character interprets, justifies, and responds to what is happening — without getting lost in navel-gazing.

Wonderful post, Heather. Now, back to the final rewrite of the latest adventure in living up to my own advice.

The white space! I’m with you, David. I focus on that when I send emails to publishing professionals especially, but really, to anyone. When I see a long email or an extra-long article I groan. I, too, am a squirrel on crack.

Your quote here, regarding close POV:

“But that also means delivering an experience only a novel can. This is why I think close third and first person are so popular. That intimacy is all but impossible to bring to film or TV.”

This is a brilliant observation. I think you’re absolutely correct and I never thought about it from that perspective before. Novels must deliver something that other media cannot. For me, as a lover of the printed book, that “something unique” is a break from the noise, the screen, and the flashing notification light. In terms of the POV, there are some films that do a super close view and I can’t STAND them. I call them naus-cam, where the camera is shaking and the screen is wobbly and it makes me nauseous and annoyed. I’m so distracted by the alleged cinematography that I can’t focus on the characters or the story.

Neat post, Heather. Another trend I keep seeing over the past few years: telling the story in the present tense. I think it often comes part and parcel with deep POV, and while I have mixed feelings about the whole present tense thing, when it’s done well I think it’s fine. When it’s done well it doesn’t draw attention to itself, and I suspect it appeals to that whole need to keep the reader hooked.

But I’m thinking more about the general need to keep the reader engaged/drawn to the page/screen–the “squirrel” factor. Given the fast pace of life–but particularly of online information, which is rewiring our brains for interruption–I’d *like* to think some readers are really hoping to slow down a bit when they read a book. I don’t mean the story meanders or loses focus; clearly the story needs to draw the reader in, get her invested in what happens to the characters. In an ideal world, that reader is momentarily losing her “fear of missing something,” and I think that could be very restorative.

Perhaps I am just projecting, and also joining Vaughn in the “curmudgeon” category (in which case, I’m in good company, I say). ;-) I’m sure that’s part of why I like Don’s reminder that writers can lead the way, not just mirror the times!

“I’d *like* to think some readers are really hoping to slow down a bit when they read a book. I don’t mean the story meanders or loses focus; clearly the story needs to draw the reader in, get her invested in what happens to the characters. In an ideal world, that reader is momentarily losing her “fear of missing something,” and I think that could be very restorative.”

Amen, Alisha. I’m certainly looking for a different sort of experience when I choose to read a novel over the other bell-and-whistle options at my beck. And I’m often very specifically looking to avoid television and the internet. And I, for one, don’t mind a non-frenetic pace. I enjoy savoring a story well told.

Great comments, Alisha. I’m one of those readers of which you speak–I want to slow down and not be interrupted, which is why I do most of my pleasure reading in the bath tub or before bed when the computer and phone are off and the house is quiet. I want to immerse myself in that world. I’m not sure that makes us a curmudgeon as much as a reader who values some sense of peace.

90% of the time, just the sample is enough to tell me that, once again, an author who’s gone for the present tense trend has failed to create an “invisible,” immersive narrative style. They’re usually clunky and graceless reads I won’t waste my time on.

Even when it’s generally well done (I’ve read a few), there will be at least a few times in the book when I’m jarred out to re-read a sentence: “Oh, right, present tense” — especially if the timeline doesn’t really let present tense make logical sense.

Thanks for this piece. When it comes to “leading others to act through their words” from one of your comments here, this is what I was trying to suggest is actually an opportunity for literary fiction at the moment, more than it’s been in the past.

While I see the best potential for that in literary—which, as Don has shown us and as you’re talking about, evolves quickly toward “commercial” fiction these days—the effect of leading through writing, and toward more “global empathy” has never been more important.

I think the best people in the world know that we all need global empathy. The chance for literature is huge right now to help provide that, shape it, direct it, and the more authors I find who are aligned with this idea and mindful of it, the better.

Thanks, Porter. I agree on all counts. I also think reading, other than serving as a platform to learn about empathy and justice, is a great escape in a troubled times. I find the serious books I enjoyed even last year I’m having trouble reading now (with the exception of the nonfiction I read for research). I want to be transported somewhere else whether that means a happier, easier place or a richer, more beautiful or more interesting one. Facing dark realities day in and day out does not entice me to pick up most literary fiction, for example, or the heavier women’s fiction novels. I suppose in another year that will change again, who knows.

Great post, Heather. I also enjoyed the comments that were stimulated by your observations.

As I read, I kept thinking about my own reading habits. I tend to jump from one genre to the next, classics to bestsellers and also to the obscure.

I recently read Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible, multi-first person POV. And though her chapters were long, too long for me at times, I hung in because of her masterful prose and the story she was telling. I’m now reading US by David Nicholls and am engaged in a different way. Again, first person POV, and this time, short chapters. But no matter, it’s the protagonist’s clear vulnerability, revealed largely through his thoughts, that keeps me intrigued.

Having given two first person examples, do I prefer this POV? No. I also loved All The Light We Cannot See, a story by Anthony Doerr about a young German Nazi youth and a French blind girl. He used third person POV for both leading characters.

It’s always about story. A story well told. So, trends can come and go, but a good story will endure no matter what.

You said it, Diana! Story is king, regardless of trends. Well, I’d almost edit myself and say character is king. I find that I will forgive a lot of plot and story blunders if I really connect to the characters.

All I could think as I read this is, “so, Kat, whatchoo gonna write to reflect all these new ideas and trends and etc etc etc?” And all I could think was, “If I think of that, I will continue not to write – so maybe I should just do what I do and what I love and if no one reads it, at least I am happy again.”

So. Yeah. That’s just me. I’ll have to make money through my editing business and find my Happy again through what I love to write and how I love to write.

And I will never ever ever ever ever EVER be able to write, or like to read, dialogue without quotes – OH how it hurts my peaheaded brain! It’s like constant narrative – UNGH UNGH! UNGH! :D

I have such mixed feelings about this concept. I agree–attention spans are shorter, there are so many forms of fast entertainment, and we writers need to catch readers’ attention as quickly as we can. But as a reader, I don’t always want to be hit over the head on page 1 or 2 with a huge life event or cliffhanger or tragic blow–especially when I know it’s just to get my attention. I think–or I hope!–there’s a middle ground. Again, as a reader, I’m more likely to go with the major life event or tragic blow if I’ve had a chance to acclimate myself to the surroundings and catch my breath. That’s how I write too–I like to give the reader a little time (not a long, rambling time, but at least a few pages) to make herself comfortable before I thrust the main problem of the story at her. Just my two cents. Thanks for the article–it obviously is making all of us think and ponder!

Lauren, thank you for your comments. I like both kinds of novels–those that grab me instantly with an issue, and those that take their time to lure me in, as long as the writing is strong and compelling. Thankfully, for now, there are all kinds out there still!